


talkin' bout my generation

by LogicalBookThief



Category: Guardians of the Galaxy (Movies), Marvel Cinematic Universe, Thor (Movies)
Genre: F/M, Gen, Humor, Peter deserves nice things like family dinners and half-siblings who are alive, Post-Guardians of the Galaxy (2014), Post-Thor: The Dark World, Pre-Movie: Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 2, and Mantis (eventually) deserves big sis Jane too, not canon you say? prove me wrong, the most important thing Thor 2 gave us was the reminder that Jane Foster is freaking awesome
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-08-19
Updated: 2018-08-19
Packaged: 2019-06-28 09:32:31
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 3,241
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/15704535
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/LogicalBookThief/pseuds/LogicalBookThief
Summary: "Curious thing, that," the Collector remarks. "A mortal, Terran woman being able to contain an Infinity Stone.""Terran?" Peter mouths, thinking of Earth, his mother, and the family he left behind."Infinity stone?" Yondu mutters, thinking of the little girl in her PJs, asking if he were an angel while her very-much alive mother cussed Ego's name six ways to Spartax. "Aw, shit."In which Jane Foster is more than what she seems and Peter is not the only half-Celestial child from Earth.





	talkin' bout my generation

**Author's Note:**

> Based on [this awesome tumblr post](http://blanca-angelica-loveless.tumblr.com/post/174068362963/okay-but-ego-was-super-impressed-about-hearing) I saw and thought, "Wow, that's actually a super cool idea that the MCU will never explore even though they accidentally provided the set-up."

_Earth, 1988_

Surprisingly, her fixation on space predates Jane's first alien encounter. And contrary to popular belief, this encounter did not occur in New Mexico, 2010.

Instead she is nine-years-old, awake even though it's past her curfew, fiddling with her brand new telescope.

Because of its price-tag, it was the lone birthday present her mom could afford on a single plumber's salary. But Jane wanted it more than any Barbie Dream House and amateur chemistry set in the world, so Karen Foster delivered. Too eager to sleep, Jane traces the patterns of constellations glimmering in the night sky, whispering the names under her breath. 

She frowns when she gets to Cassiopeia, noting one twinkle too many. Smugness turns to bafflement. Surely she isn't wrong, so what is–

The star begins to move, closer to Earth, close enough make out a shape in the sky... the shape of some kind of hovering craft. Jane's jaw drops. She wastes a moment on pure, unmitigated shock before racing downstairs so fast she forgets her slippers.

Johnny Cash's _Riders in Sky_ from Mom's radio plays her to the first floor, where she skids to a stop. There's no need to shout for her mom, because her mom is very aware of the alien – _a real, live E.T.!_ – on their front porch and she is decidedly not happy, if the shotgun is any indication.

More to the point – there is a blue, scowling alien standing on their porch! He's got red eyes and a red, _oh,_ is that a fin? A mechanical fin? What's it used for, she wonders? Telekinesis?

She wishes she'd grabbed her notebook! But Jane doesn't dare leave her spot and risk missing any of the action. Based on her mom's volume competing with Mr. Cash's croons, that action is mounting towards a spectacular climax.

"That sleazy bastard, _Ego_ , the sonuvabitch–"

"Listen, lady," drawls the alien in English. Wait, the aliens know _English?_ "I ain't here to dispute that but I got some questions 'bout you an' yer spawn–"

Mom starts cussing louder and more than Jane's ever heard in one sitting. Jane can barely hear, even though this seems like a pertinent conversation, when that spawn is _her._

"Hey!" she projects her shrill voice over the squabbling adults, who turn to her in unison. She clears her throat, shrinking under the blue man's ruby-red gaze.

"Are you an angel?" Jane asks, nearly breathless in excitement. She meant to ask about space, or stars, or intergalactic travel but in her defense the question at least makes him laugh.

This is _so_ going in her journal.

"Sure. Pretty as an angel an' all that," he snorts, shrugging a shoulder at Jane. "This the kid?"

Mom doesn't nod, the gun still poised to shoot, and so the blue man doesn't move any closer to Jane, just peers into her face. His teeth are sharp, chipped and glinting like gems. She stares back, unabashed and a little (okay, _a lot_ ) awed.

"She don't look like the boy none," he declares. "Not like any of the others, neither."

"Others?" Mom echoes warily.

"Got another of his bastards up in my ship." Jane gets the feeling the blue man is troubled, the way his mouth curls. "He's the one Ego's interested in. Yours is an extra if I got the time."

Ego, whoever he is, sounds like a piece of work; strange, that Jane's mom never mentioned him before. Then again, she's never heard Mom mention her sperm-donor dad, either. Besides, Jane is far more interested in the actual, English-speaking alien than her parentage.

"Tell you the truth, though, I ain't seen hide nor hair of those other kids I ferried and I'm not keen on continuing this business 'til I get more information." He steps over the threshold of their home, arms raised placatingly. "Wonderin' if you'd mind elaborating on why you was so gung-ho when you thought I was him."

After a bit of prolonged eye contact, Mom finally lowers the gun. She sets it against the counter and gestures to the kitchen table. Over her shoulder, she levels her daughter with a stern expression.

"Janie, go to bed."

As _if._

Scurrying to the stairs, she stomps in place until they're satisfied she's out of earshot. In reality, she catches every one of Mom's sighs and the whirs of their ancient coffee pot as it heats up. She blinks at her chilly toes. Do aliens drink coffee?

Problem is, they're murmuring too quiet for her to understand the words at this distance, and despite her best efforts, she _is_ nine-years-old and it _is_ way past her bedtime.

When she wakes in the morning, she's tucked into her bed. The telescope is at the window where she left it, yet when she dashes to look, the spaceship is gone.

Mom tells her it was dream and as the years go by with a distinct lack of visitors, Jane eventually gives up trying to plead her case. Even though she knows, deep in her intuition, that beyond these stars there are Blue Men who fly like angels in spaceships and it's only a matter of finding the proof.

Then a man _does_ fall from the sky in New Mexico, although he's not blue, and he certainly looks more the part of an angel, but Jane is too focused on twenty-six years of belated validation to nitpick the details.

*

*

*

*

"Remind me again why we're stalking the Ravager captain we fooled out of a billion units?"

Peter shoots Rocket a fervent 'be quiet!' gesture. Checks to see if Yondu caught them sneaking.

"Cause he's up to something," he whispers. Drax ignores this cue and continues to loudly badger Peter about his intentions.

"By virtue of his job, I think that's obvious," Gamora remarks, voice tactfully low. If possible, Peter's love for her increases tenfold. "Do you intend to stop whatever illegal activity he's engaged in?"

"No, why would I– I mean, it depends," he says to save face. Being on the wrong side of the law is his norm; Peter isn't sure if he'd bring Yondu in or demand a cut of the action if it's the usual snatch-and-grab. But he seriously doubts that even Yondu, the criminal who taught Peter everything he knows, is ballsy enough to rob the Collector.

Which begs the question of why he's here.

He lets Gamora - they are probably the only two stealthy enough to sneak in - take the lead while Rocket, Groot and Drax distract the lackeys. She steers into a crouch hidden from view, much like how they'd hidden during their first, up-close encounter with the Infinity Stone.

A minute into his eavesdropping and Peter finds that memory uncomfortably relevant to the current conversation.

Evidently, all Yondu wants out of the Collector is information on a rumor. And he's willing to _pay_ for it. If that weren't concerning in and of itself, the blue idiot has to go and inquire about how the Collector came to possess his _other_ \- honestly, how many does one person need? - gem of mass destruction.

"Curious thing, that," the Collector remarks. "A Terran woman, being able to contain an Infinity stone."

"Terran?" Peter mouths, thinking of his mother, and the family he left behind.

"Infinity stone?" Yondu mutters. There's a pause, then an emphatic: "Aw, shit."

He leaves hurriedly and with a rapidly sinking stomach, Peter flees after him.

"Yondu, wait!" he calls, forcing his sort-of-dad to turn on his heel.

"Quill!" For just a second, Yondu looks glad to see Peter. Must be a trick of the smog.

Very quickly, that elation slips to annoyance. "Whaddya think yer doin', spying on me?!"

"I wasn't spying!"

Drax frowns. "But, Quill, I thought that was precisely what–"

Rocket slaps a paw over his mouth.

"Listen, Yondu, I know you think we cheated you out of a lotta money but those Infinity stones, they're dangerous," Peter conveys with what he prays is the appropriate amount of gravity. "I held one of those things and–"

Reminding Yondu of this seems to stress him out further.

"You hush up, boy," he hisses, jabbing a finger into Peter's chest. "Don't go spreadin' that dumb nonsense all over the galaxy and don't be insertin' your nose into m' business."

"And what business is that?" Gamora inquires.

"Nothin' for you's to concern yerselves with!" Yondu yells evasively. "Now get on movin' fore I let the crew know the Terran kid that cost us a billion is in blaster range."

Peter watches him go. "Anybody else get the feeling he's hidin' something?" he asks the Guardians.

"Ever get the feeling that's typical Ravager behavior?" Gamora replies, sounding bored.

He shakes his head. "Yondu may be a liar. And a thief. And in the technical sense, a murderer."

"What other sense is there?!" Rocket cries.

"Point is, Yondu usually don't lie without a reason. And his reasons are a good cause to be suspicious."

"I am Groot?"

"He's mad that his father is no longer sharing his secret crime plans with him," Drax tells the sapling with a wise nod. "It is a cry for attention that many children use when feeling neglected."

"Shut up!" Peter bristles, the tips of his ears turning pink. Fascinated, Gamora reaches to touch them and they redden for a whole 'nother reason. "Let's go threaten Kraglin until he gives us the scoop."

Rocket perks. "Now you're talkin'! I've got this new zapper I wanna try out-"

"We aren't going to actually torture him," says Peter, remembering his goal to do more good. Then he remembers the time Kraglin left him with the tab in a dive-bar on Contraxia. "Well, maybe a– nah, forget it."

*

*

*

*

"Home sweet home," sighs Jane, walking up the old pebble driveway. Compared to Asgard, her mom's house isn't very grand and _definitely_ needs a paint job. But Thor had showed her his palace and introduced her to his parents, so it's only fair she do the same.

"Fear not." Thor wraps an arm around her shoulders, drawing her near. "I will endeavor to make a good first impression."

"You already...sort of made a bad one," Jane ekes out, embarrassed by how much she'd moaned to her mom after Thor vanished without a trace or even a measly phone-call.

Thor looks anxious for all of a second. "Well, she's never met be _twice."_

Jane thinks his confidence is a little undue. Karen Foster isn't easily impressed, especially by men from outer-space. He won't be able to disarm Karen Foster with his brilliant, knee-wobbling smile, although he may win her over with his earnestness and heart.

The door isn't locked, which is normal, but her mom isn't one not to holler out a greeting. In the quiet, Jane hears two voices hashing it out, and surmises that her mom must have guests she neglected to mention when Jane called.

"I can't control what trouble she gets up to in her spare time," Mom groans. "Lord knows I've tried."

"S'easy. Put a tracker on her or a send out a bounty. It's called _parenting."_

Bristling, Jane storms into the kitchen and finds her mother at the dining table, two piping mugs of coffee sitting between her and–

"The Blue Angel!" she shouts unnecessarily, since there's only one blue person in the room, gawking at her with the same red eyes she remembers.

"Damn if that ain't still funny," he guffaws. "Hiya, girl. Only get to be that tall, huh?"

He smirks at her mom, who rolls her eyes. "Mine turned out bigger."

"Ms. Foster, that Centaurian is a Ravager. A notorious, galaxy-marauding band of thieves," Thor points out helpfully. "Also, it's nice to meet you."

"Guilty." Blue Man's smirk doesn't budge. "And what're you, some...Asguardian?"

"Prince of Asgard," Thor clarifies. He's immensely handsome as he does so and Jane fights a grin.

"Oh." Blue Man balks, glancing from Jane to Thor and then back to Karen again. "That explains some of it, I guess. Anyways, as I was sayin'–"

As he's about to speak, the swinging door bursts open, revealing a green woman, a bulky man with tattoos, a raccoon, a tree with eyes and – some Human guy.

"Is that a rabbit?" asks Thor, squinting at small, gun-toting raccoon. The raccoon flips him the bird.

Jane has a harder time computing _that_ than the aliens.

"Aha!" the Human Guy whoops. "We caught you, Yondu!"

Yondu springs to his feet. "Whatchu doin' here, boy?" he growls.

"We followed you," Human Guy announces proudly. "And we shook down the crew for information!"

"You blackmailed Kraglin with an embarrassing incident you witnessed at age 12," Green Girl deadpans.

"And you also entered my house without knocking," Karen huffs. Human Guy grimaces.

"Oh, hi," he says belatedly. "Uh, I'm Peter. This is Gamora, Rocket, Drax and Groot."

Groot, the sentient tree, waves. Following Thor's lead, Jane manages to wave back.

"We're the Guardians of the Galaxy," Peter declares, chest puffed.

Karen raises a brow. "The who?"

"Nah, we're not–" He turns hopeful eyes onto her mom. "Hey, are _The Who_ still around?"

"Who cares!" Rocket exclaims. "We came all this way, I wanna hear what all the fuss is about."

"Excuse me, but," Thor interjects. "Why are you trespassing on the good Lady Foster's property?"

Gamora does a double-take at him. "Yondu," she says slowly. "Why are you in this Terran's kitchen with the Son of Odin?"

"Yes," Drax continues. "Why are you on Terra with this gorgeous specimen of a man? He is an angel."

"I thought he was the Blue Angel?" Thor glances to Jane for confirmation. "The man from your memory, yes?"

"Yeah, he is. And I've got a question for you, _Mom."_ In the midst of this chaos, Jane realizes that she has been intentionally misled for most of her life. Karen has the decency to duck her chin, ashamed. "Why'd you lie and say he was a dream since you clearly remember this man from when he visited us 26 years ago?!"

"Hey. Wait a minute." Peter narrows, doing the mental calculation. "You abducted _me_ from Earth 26 years ago."

Shiftily, Yondu crosses his arms. "Yeah, an' what of it?"

Jane gathers the facts in her mind. "Hang on... You abducted him," she points at Peter, who walks, talks and quacks like a human enough to fit the bill, so she thinks it's safe to theorize he's human in some capacity. "Presumably you then came to our house and asked Mom about me... Why?"

Mom glares at Yondu. "You didn't tell him about his daddy?"

"Didja tell her?" Yondu snaps, jerking a thumb at Jane. Karen sips silently at her coffee. "Uh huh. Figures."

"Is someone gonna explain what the hell's going on?" Peter explodes.

Jane struggles to make sense of the vague allusions and puzzling details. "If this has to do with my father, and your father, then that means–"

"Yondu is their father," Drax gasps. Gamora groans.

"He's Blue!" Rocket exclaims. "Is Quill or his sister blue, you turd-brained idiot?!"

"I am Groot?"

"Not even in a certain light," he grunts.

Silence follows this abrupt revelation. After everyone talking over each other for the past ten minutes, it's eerie to have the room doused in quiet.

"Well, somebody had to say it!" Rocket grumbles shamelessly.

Gamora scowls at him before locking onto Peter with her concern. Yondu's looking at him, too. But Peter is staring at Jane with staggering disbelief.

"Sister?" he croaks.

A lump lodges in Jane's throat. She glances at her mom, eyes big and damp like when she was a girl. Karen purses her lips, never able to stand her daughter's pain.

Fixing Yondu with a look that says _the jig is up_ , she gestures for them all to sit around their sturdy kitchen table. 

"I'll put on another pot."

*

*

*

*  
 "So... For the record, that is not how I expected this family dinner to go." Jane laughs around a wince. "Sorry about that."

Her and Thor have retreated to clean the dishes, of which there were plenty. Half a tray of leftover lasagna, a plate of country fried chicken streaks and a blueberry pie crumble later and Guardians, plus Jane and Thor, had more or less sussed out the story from Yondu and her mom.

Turns out, Karen Foster visited Missouri at the same time - and coincidentally, the same bar - as an alien who called himself Ego. She had a bad feeling about the man almost immediately after she sobered from the booze and dancing, and after their one-night stand, had no intentions of ever seeing the spaceman again. Presumably, Ego had a similar intention to leave Earth, until he met a nice local girl named Meredith Quill. And when Meredith died of cancer years later, Ego hired Yondu to collect his progeny.

Just the idea of what their fate might've been had he actually went through with the delivery makes Jane shudder.

"Why do you apologize?" Thor scoffs, elbow deep in sudsy water. "On Asgard, this would be a relatively tame family affair."

Loki the Literal God of Mischief was his brother and Odin who is kind of a dick and prone to secrets is his dad, so that isn't exactly an exaggeration. Lucky for her mysterious genealogy isn't a deal-breaker.

"How do you deal with the overwhelming doubt that comes along with it, though?" Flabbergasted, she slumps against the counter. "I spent my life thinking I was Human. Never considered that I might be anything else... Let alone the sister of a star-lord and the daughter of a crazy alien _god!"_

"I can't imagine." He pulls her into a hug and Jane doesn't care if his hands are sopping wet, it's appreciated. "After all, it isn't as if I have a long-lost sibling my parents neglected to mention."

Bringing up something that specific is asking for trouble, yet before she can comment, Peter enters the kitchen with an armful of empty mugs.

"Hey, sis." He fidgets for a moment, nervous and unsure. "Can you, uh, teach me how to work this?"

Peter holds up a device.

Jane squints. "Is that a Zune?" 

"Yeah, Yondu gave it to me as a "sorry I lied to you your whole life but in my defense I was saving your life" present and because I've always been an ugly crier and he hates it. Apparently it's all the rage on Earth right now." Jane can't bear to burst his and the old man's bubble; they don't even sell Zunes anymore. "So, uh, I was hoping-"

Gently, Jane takes it from his grasp. Their fingers brush and he holds his breath like he expects her to disappear. Like his mom, maybe.

She smiles in a way she hopes is sisterly and soothing. The mechanics of the Zune are simple and he'll probably pick it up easy. Still, she doesn't want to dismiss this chance.

"I can show you some of my favorites songs?"

He beams. "Yeah, that - that'd be great."

"Go. I shall finish the dishes," Thor vows. His voice is wistful, and she knows that despite all the bad blood and deceit, he's thinking of his own brother.

Jane squeezes his arm in thanks and retreats with her new brother to the porch, where the cicadas buzz incessantly and the music will be a welcome interlude. "Pretty sure The Who _is_ on here," she tells him, just to see Peter brighten.

"Awesome."

**Author's Note:**

> Karen Foster is not the canon Mrs. Foster from the comics, since on Earth 616 Jane's mom died when she was a kid (just like Peter hmmm) but I though this franchise had enough dead moms so I revitalized her for the purpose of this fic. A woman after my own heart, who knows that good coffee solves everything.
> 
> If you liked, please let me know down below!


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